Sept / Oct 2011

[Caroline NZ]

Hi Saskiwi, we really enjoyed the May climate last year as well. But we are going to try June next year so that we can take advantage of longer park hours and more shows ( Fantasmic wasn't on in May09). We have a 6 yr old DD & and an 8yr old DS. We have just bought the Harry Potter books and am looking forward to reading them. We are also thinking about WDW for the trip after next ( when the children will be around 9 & 11 )

 

[MouseFan Down Under]

Oh you are so lucky to have your flights done because I'm still waiting for them to come online for our trip and I need to book two FF tickets too. Our outbound flight will be available for bookings in a couple of days but the return (23 October) won't be for ages so I'll have to wait until November before I can make the booking. Also, American Airlines comes online about a month later than Qantas so how have you done your internal FF legs so early? I just can't be sure we are going until I know whether we get the FF tickets and so waiting is so frustrating!

Don't wait for the return - book them as one way flights each way! That way you are sure to get the flight that you want. (That is what I have done for my past couple of FF flights!)

I haven't booked internal's yet - as for the majority I want to fly Southwest - and they don't release their Aug/Sept flights for another 3-4 months!

 

[MouseFan Down Under]

We are talking about a 2011 trip - DL again as DH and I just don't love WDW enough to justify the expense/extra time and distance to get there.(too spread out, too humid, hate Epcot)
DL has everything we want really - although the Harry Potter attraction at Universal does make Florida a bit more tempting as DS10 and I are big fans.... maybe for the trip after next when DS8 will have read the books!

Time-wise we are tossing up between Spring (April/May) when we visited DL last, which is great for temperature and crowds, and Halloween, which the kids are VERY keen to experience at DL - tormenting ourselves reading reports of Mickey's TOT Party....

And then there's the opening of the Little Mermaid ride to factor into it...

Oh, and we are not rugby fans so if anyone knows a nice LA family who would like to house swap in September/October and come to Christchurch for The Rugby World Cup, we are open to offers!

You would be surprised how cheap WDW actually is...I decided to "run away" for my birthday last year and did the math on either going to DL or WDW - WDW turned out to be cheaper - and that included the internal flight to Florida! I could not belive it!

I was there the first week of October, and although warm, nothing I could not handle...besides I was at WDW and the other option was being at work...

Halloween at WDW is AMAZING! The party is so much fun! We have actually changed our dates for next year so my dad can see a MNSSHP!

 

[Travel Mum]

Don't wait for the return - book them as one way flights each way! That way you are sure to get the flight that you want. (That is what I have done for my past couple of FF flights!)

I haven't booked internal's yet - as for the majority I want to fly Southwest - and they don't release their Aug/Sept flights for another 3-4 months!

If you book a oneway ticket first, did you then have to pay a reissue fee (in either points or cash) to change it to a return ticket when those flights became available to book?

 

[kylieh]

If you book a oneway ticket first, did you then have to pay a reissue fee (in either points or cash) to change it to a return ticket when those flights became available to book?

Hey TravelMum - I've booked two one-way tickets before, effectively becoming a return trip. Book the first flight, then book another one-way flight when the next dates are released.

 

[Travel Mum]

Hey TravelMum - I've booked two one-way tickets before, effectively becoming a return trip. Book the first flight, then book another one-way flight when the next dates are released.

Oh my gosh Kylieh, if I do that, then I can do it tomorrow as that's the first day QF releases it's Auckland to L.A. flight on 29 September for sale!!!!

 

[lffam]

We went this September just gone. We tried to get flights during School Holidays on QF FF. We were able to get flights over there ( 2adt 1 ch) but we couldn't get any back. We ended up moving our flights earlier so we left 2 weeks before holidays started and came back in the end of the first week of holidays.

hope you guys have better luck than we did.

 

[Travel Mum]

We went this September just gone. We tried to get flights during School Holidays on QF FF. We were able to get flights over there ( 2adt 1 ch) but we couldn't get any back. We ended up moving our flights earlier so we left 2 weeks before holidays started and came back in the end of the first week of holidays.

hope you guys have better luck than we did.

Very interesting. How far in advance to your trip were you trying to book the FF seats?

 

[MouseFan Down Under]

Oh my gosh Kylieh, if I do that, then I can do it tomorrow as that's the first day QF releases it's Auckland to L.A. flight on 29 September for sale!!!!

Did you get 'em?

 

[Saskiwi]

You would be surprised how cheap WDW actually is...I decided to "run away" for my birthday last year and did the math on either going to DL or WDW - WDW turned out to be cheaper - and that included the internal flight to Florida! I could not belive it!

I was there the first week of October, and although warm, nothing I could not handle...besides I was at WDW and the other option was being at work...

Halloween at WDW is AMAZING! The party is so much fun! We have actually changed our dates for next year so my dad can see a MNSSHP!

Wow - WDW was cheaper than DL - how come?? Did you get a great deal on accommodation? I just always assume it would be more expensive *** of the flight, so would love to hear how you did it!

 

[Travel Mum]

Did you get 'em?

No, it's such a pain but, although I could get the QF Auckland to L.A. leg, I do also want the Wellington to Auckland (operated by Jetstar) flight and the L.A. to Orlando flight which is on AA. Neither Jetstar or AA are open for bookings on our date yet

 

[mareeld86]

I am leaving 22nd October next year getting married at WDW on November 1st! So excited I so wish it was this year but I have a lot to plan between now and then!!

 

[tapdancer]

We are off to WDW next September for 10 nights and staying at All Star Movies in a connecting room as there are five of us.

Rang travel agent yesterday and she quoted me almost $2000 each for flights gee I hope not that much. Probably cheaper to book Melbourne/Sydney to Los Angeles then a domestic flight from LA to Orlando. What does everyone else think??

 

[PrincessInOz]

We are off to WDW next September for 10 nights and staying at All Star Movies in a connecting room as there are five of us.

Rang travel agent yesterday and she quoted me almost $2000 each for flights gee I hope not that much. Probably cheaper to book Melbourne/Sydney to Los Angeles then a domestic flight from LA to Orlando. What does everyone else think??

I bought my ticket in July for late October travel this year. Admittedly it is flying United (but I had no choice in the airline because we are going as part of DH's work conference and were limited to the airlines chosen by the corporate TA)....but I got return airfare Melbourne to Orlando via Sydney and San Francisco flying United; and then Orlando to San Francisco flying American (stopping for 2 nights) and San Francisco to Melbourne (via Sydney) on United for $1350. I think some of the others travelling around Sep/Oct 2010 also got flights around the $1300 mark.

It may be worth while to have a look at the different airlines (Qantas, VAust, Air NZ and United) on line and checking out their pricing for the route.
Also - historically discounts seem to come out around Christmas and between Valentine's day.

 

[shushh]

Tapdancer, I think Princess is right. You should be able to get it under $2000. Worth checking prices online. They are generally cheaper than TAs, then get TA to price match. If yours doesn't, try Flight centre, they have to...and they give you a $20 voucher for each person. The other airline to try is Delta. Then you can get all flights including domestic ones as part of the international ticket and so have the same baggage allowance. They will then also be responsible if you miss connecting flights etc

 

[battymum]

I think its still too early to book flights - surely flights will be less than A$2000, otherwise we can not go - I am budgeting for 1500 but hoping for 1200 , with five of us this makes a big difference - I am thinking after christmas, with the $A so strong flights have to be cheaper dont they?? Until i book those flights I am not sure if we will go

 

[PrincessInOz]

I walked past a FC today and glanced at the window. Return Flights to LA were advertised as $1080.
And I'm pretty sure that one-way LA to Orlando is about US$200; SouthWest may even be cheaper than this.

 

[Jade+3]

tapdancer, you seem to be as impatient as me waiting for flights! We are also a family of 5, so the cheaper the better.

 

[MouseFan Down Under]

Hey Saskiwi

I booked the airfare to LAX and then costed out the rest.

8 nights accommodation
Pop Century or Fairfield Inn by Marriott (I love this hotel and this is where I always stay when I'm at DL)

Took into account return transfers from LAX to DL in Orlando that was free because of Magical Express

Took into account the fact that I was getting FREE food for the 8 days in Orlando, and would have to pay for food in DL - I budgeted I would spend a minimum of $30.00 per day on food - which I thought was pretty optimistic!

Priced out the park tickets

Added the return cost of the LAX - MCO tickets (I flew American Airlines - and booked about 6 months in advance)

Then I added everything up.

The whole trip worked out to be about AU$300.00 cheaper to go to WDW - so since I was on a budget - that is where I went!!

I should mention that it was a solo trip...

Hope that helps

 

[MouseFan Down Under]

No, it's such a pain but, although I could get the QF Auckland to L.A. leg, I do also want the Wellington to Auckland (operated by Jetstar) flight and the L.A. to Orlando flight which is on AA. Neither Jetstar or AA are open for bookings on our date yet

I would book what you can now - and add the rest later when they become available. You can always cancel and I think it only costs 5000 points...better to have some of the flights than none!